


A Simple Melody (That's How Easy Love Can Be)

by Sir_Bedevere



Series: Modern AU [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Also some early kid fluff, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, But mostly angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gentleness, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-20 10:36:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8245934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sir_Bedevere/pseuds/Sir_Bedevere
Summary: The factory was abuzz with gossip when Davos walked back in the door and it was, as he had guessed, about Beric Dondarrion. Ned Stark and his wife had been called to school that evening to deal with what had happened between the kids, and Robert was fuming, calling Dondarrion every name he could think of and then some besides. Davos winced when he heard that; whenever the director was pissed, it was always his brother who ended up bearing the brunt of it.
 Davos longs to be gentle.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vana/gifts).



> This is kind of related to another work of mine, 'Easy As One, Two, Three' but you absolutely don't need to read that for this one to make sense.
> 
> A birthday gift for Vana, who deserves so many more presents than I could ever write :)

Davos Seaworth had never pictured himself as a minivan kind of guy but, seven kids later, here he was.

Strapped into his car seat, Steffon napped behind him, clutching his stuffed polar bear. He looked so angelic that Davos could hardly believe this was the same child his wife had thrust into his arms a half hour earlier, telling him that if he didn’t get the boy out of her hair for a while, she would probably have a breakdown. Steffon was difficult sometimes, almost as bad as Allard had been at that age, and Davos did not blame her for wanting him gone. Davos hadn’t asked her what he had done. In many ways, he did not want to know.

He was already late in getting to school when he hit traffic, and by the time he finally arrived, most of the buses were already gone. He spotted the small group that was his to claim, and slid into a space near the door. Leaving Steffon to sleep, he got out and was immediately greeted by two small cannonballs that hit him square in the stomach.

“Daddy!” Stannis said, “You didn’t forget us!”

“Of course I didn’t,” he said guiltily, scooping Stannis into his arms, “I just left work a little late, that’s all.”

“Is Daddy OK?” asked the other cannonball, and Davos rested a hand on her head.

“He’s fine, baby. He says hi.”

Shireen didn’t look at all convinced her father would have said such a thing, but she held her peace.

“Can we get going, Dad?” Matthos, the eldest of his school aged sons, began to hustle them towards the car. He was barely fifteen but already bigger than his father, and taller than Allard too, much to the elder’s chagrin.

“What’s the hurry?” Davos asked, strapping Stannis in beside Steffon. Matthos threw himself into the front as Maric slipped into the empty middle row seat and Devon helped Shireen with her seat belt in the back.

“Matthos has a da-ate,” Maric sang, then swore when his brother leaned back to punch him.

“Language, Maric,” Davos said, “What’s this about, Matt?”

“It’s no big deal,” Matthos said, but he was blushing and his rolled eyes weren’t fooling anyone, “I’m just going for pizza with Bethan.”

“Ooh, Bethan,” Maric made kissing noises, braver now his father had taken his seat next to Matthos, “Come and get pizza, Bethan. I won’t get anchovies on mine because I know you don’t like the taste –”

“Enough, Maric,” Davos snapped, glancing into the mirror, “Remember who is in the car here, please.”

“Sorry, Dad,” Maric smirked, pulling out his phone and chuckling under his breath.

“It’s nothing, Dad,” Matthos said quietly, “Please don’t make it a big deal.”

“No problem. Just be a gentleman, please. Allard is no example to follow.”

“I remember,” Matthos smiled, “Be like Dale. Always be like Dale.”

“Good boy.”

They drove in silence for a while, until Stannis suddenly piped up, his head resting on Steffon’s shoulder.

“Daddy, Ned Dayne and Arya had a fight today.”

“They did,” Shireen added, “We saw it.”

“Oh dear,” Davos said, “What were they fighting about?”

“Don’t know,” Stannis shrugged, “But Shireen thinks because of Ned’s uncle and his broken eye. You know his broken eye?”

“I know,” Davos murmured and glanced back at Shireen. She was smiling innocently, only a hint of her steel underneath. She was truly her father’s daughter; five years old and already a shrewd political player. When she was grown up, no one would stand a chance. The idea reassured him more than it scared him. He couldn’t bear the idea of this little girl growing into anything but a confident and respected woman.”

“Mister Myr got really mad,” Stannis continued, “He yelled so loud, right Shireen?”

“He did,” she nodded solemnly, “I don’t like when people yell.”

“Me neither,” Davos said, and the pair of them smiled brightly. He loved them at this age, more than any other. So easy to distract, so easy to keep safe.

When he pulled up outside Marya’s house, she came to the door like nothing had happened. There was flour on her shirt, so she had probably baked her frustration away. All of the kids piled out, including Shireen, and went noisily into the house. Davos unbuckled Steffon and handed him over to Marya’s waiting arms, and was relieved to see her kiss him and nuzzle his ear. Steffon murmured and smiled, resting his head on her shoulder.

“What time will you be home tonight?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Davos said, already thinking of what Stannis and Shireen had told him and whether that news had made it back to the factory yet, “It might be a late one.”

“Okay,” Marya put out a free hand and cupped Davos’ cheek, thumb running through his beard, “Do you think Shireen might stay here?”

“Maybe,” Davos leaned into the touch and sighed, “I don’t know. I’ll let you know as soon as I know.”

Marya kissed him, lips soft and tasting of the cinnamon she must have baked with. He always felt a little guilty when she was like this, trying to tell him she needed him when he had to walk away. He made a silent promise that he would be back as soon as he could.

The factory was abuzz with gossip when Davos walked back in the door and it was, as he had guessed, about Beric Dondarrion. Ned Stark and his wife had been called to school that evening to deal with what had happened between the kids, and Robert was fuming, calling Dondarrion every name he could think of and then some besides. Davos winced when he heard that; whenever the director was pissed, it was always his brother who ended up bearing the brunt of it. 

Davos almost ran up to the office where Stannis would be hiding, tucked away in the corner of the top floor. It was no place really for the Chief Financial Officer of a company to have an office, but Stannis had chosen it and liked the peace that it offered, away from the noise of the factory floor and, most importantly, away from Robert. 

Davos didn’t knock when he pushed the door open, and found Stannis writing furiously at the desk. It was not so different an image to normal, apart from the top button of his shirt was undone and that tended to speak volumes. Davos was too late. Robert had already been in.

There was silence, in which Davos took his normal chair and waited. Eventually, Stannis sighed and laid his pen carefully on the page.

“I assume you have already heard.”

“The kids told me, when I picked them up.”

“And you didn’t think to call ahead and warn me?” Stannis snapped.

Davos ignored the tone and waited some more. There was no talking to Stannis when he was like this.

“My apologies,” Stannis ground out, “It is not your fault.”

He stood abruptly and went to the window, staring out over the carpark into the woods beyond. It had occurred to Davos before that Stannis, no matter his skill with numbers and papers, was a creature who would much prefer the silence of the trees. 

The coffee pot in the corner had been refilled in the last hour and Davos went to it now, flicking the switch to warm it through. Then he went to the door, and if Stannis heard the click of the lock, he did not turn to see. 

Davos made the coffees carefully and took them to the desk, within reach of the window. Stannis still did not move and Davos approached him carefully, ready to back away if he was not welcome. Stannis was taller than he and could not rest his head on his shoulder, so he wrapped his arms around him and rested his cheek on Stannis’ back. 

Stannis did not react straight away, but he also did not pull away, which was a good sign. Davos concentrated on his breathing, matching the pace to the other man’s until they were as one, and then Stannis softened and hung his head.

“Davos.”

“Look at me.”

Slowly, Stannis turned until he was facing him and Davos was horrified to see an unnatural shine in his eyes. Those were tears, tears in the eyes of the strongest man he had ever met and all the words he had meant to say died on his lips.

Stannis knew he had noticed and made a strange noise, scrubbing at his eyes with his sleeve. He was so rough with himself that Davos finally moved, grabbing his arm and pulling it down. The noise Stannis made that time was one of angry despair, and he buried his face in the crook of Davos’ neck. He did not cry, in the end, but it was a near thing. Davos threaded his fingers into the thinning black hair and made sounds he hoped were a comfort, when he knew that truly they weren’t enough.

He pulled Stannis over to the couch and they sat pressed together, Davos’ lips on Stannis. Kissing Stannis was different to kissing Marya, hard planes and thin lips, but he loved it no less. He kissed his face, his eyes, his nose, his ears, until Stannis had to push him away, a different look in his eyes now. They did not do this at work, not usually, and whilst Davos would love Stannis anywhere and damn the talk, Stannis could not do that. He would not do that. 

Davos did not know if Stannis loved him, and he did not dare to ask. Certainly, Stannis had never volunteered the words, but then he was not a man to throw around such declarations. Davos contented himself with being there, being the thing that Stannis sometimes wanted and always, always needed. They had not ever made love, that much he knew. When it happened, it was normally frantic and rough and everything that Stannis could not be in the rest of his life. Davos longed for more gentleness, like they were sharing now, but he did not ask. Marya was gentle and soft and he adored her for that. He adored her for her kindness, sharing her husband with a man who had no one else. As long as Davos came home to her, she pretended that she did not see. 

“I feel sorry for him,” she had said once, when Davos was brave enough to ask, “And I would rather you were happy.”

He did not really know what she meant by that last comment but he was so grateful that he kissed her until she was laughing and breathless. She had always known him better than he knew himself.

“I am sorry,” Stannis said, tracing a hesitant fingertip over the stumps of Davos’ fingers, the ones he had lost years ago on the factory floor, “I did not mean to act so childishly.”

Davos replied by pulling at Stannis’ tie, the noose around his neck, and unfastening another button of his shirt. He began to lick at the soft skin he found there, his hand sliding down until he could slip it into Stannis’ trousers and damn the consequences. Stannis shuddered but he did not stop him, reaching down himself to loosen the belt and allow Davos better access.

“Davos,” he groaned, arching upwards as Davos’ fingernail brushed the head of his cock, a dampness there that Davos found reassuring. He was not taking advantage. He was giving peace, the best way he knew how. He settled into an easy rhythm, squeezing and pressing, until Stannis was writhing beneath him and gasping and Davos thought he might come himself just from that. 

“E-enough,” Stannis managed to speak, stilling his hand, “I’m going – I’m going to-”

Davos remembered then where they were, what he was doing. He drew his hand out and tugged at the belt, until it came away and then opened Stannis’ button and fly. He took Stannis from his underwear, leaking so much his boxers were already ruined, and began again, his pace more frantic this time. 

“Oh god, Davos – Davos –”

With his free hand, Davos pulled a bunch of tissues from the box on the coffee table. Stannis was looking at him with glazed eyes, and this time, when Davos sucked at his neck, Stannis came with a whimper. Davos caught it in the tissues, as best he could, and slowed down, stroking still until Stannis pushed him away. 

There was silence, as Davos wrapped the tissues around themselves and leaned over to throw them into the trash, and suddenly he was afraid to look up in case he saw something unwelcome there. What had he done? They were at work, of all places. Stannis was so careful and so precise and Davos had just – just come in and done that and Stannis still wasn’t saying anything.

Still silence. It was no good. He had to look. He had to know.

Stannis was slumped against the arm of the couch and he looking debauched, his neck red and his cock resting against his thigh. Davos moved slowly, tucking Stannis back into his trousers and fastening them up. 

“Davos.” It was barely more than a whisper but it was there.

“Yes?”

“You are too good,” Stannis said, and he placed an awkward hand over Davos’ heart, “You are too good for me.”

“I am not,” Davos kissed him and it was soft, “Nothing is, Stannis. Nothing is too good.”


End file.
